The forerunner of the wall-the blockade of Berlin-was imposed by the Soviets in response to the introduction of a new currency in West Germany; and the fall of the wall, ultimately, was due to the pressure of that currency and what it could buy. This program covers the Airlift of 1949, the sealing off of crossing points in East Berlin in 1961, and the construction of the wall proper in 1962. The program covers the history of the wall: its erection, some touching and dangerous escapes, President Kennedy's "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech, Checkpoint Charlie, the exodus to West Germany, and the dismemberment of the wall.